Over the past year, we’ve been watching documentaries, playing with gadgets and doc equipment, watching documentaries, seeking out fun documentary-related gag gifts and watching even more documentaries. Now you can benefit from all of our hard work!

iGifts

Anyone with a cellphone is now a documentary filmmaker. How about a gift of smartphone gear to take them to the next level?

Gear & AccessoriesThe SlingShot: A Double Duty Phone Grip and Tripod

This flexible gadget is compatible every smartphone you can imagine and it’s perfect for versatile filmmaking. It doubles as a grip that stabilizes one-handed filming and has a fold-out tripod for entering the action.

This tripod is designed for your favorite mobile devices. Not only does it hold your smartphone tight, it also features flexible legs that grip onto a variety of different surfaces. Now you can enjoy smartphone filmmaking backwards, sideways and upside down!

This multifunctional iPhone/iPad app upgrades the production experience. Not only does it feature production essentials such as the clapperboard and shot log, it includes a plethora of other handy and customizable functions.

Gifts Under $20

Stocking stuffers for documentary fans and filmmakers.

Books“Filmmaking for Change: Make Films That Transform the World” by Jon Fitzgerald

The Slamdance Film Festival co-founder’s new book is a complement to 2008’s “Producing with Passion: Making Films That Change the World” taking you from development to distribution. Case studies include the recent docs Bully and Forks Over Knives.

Books“A Wilderness of Error: The Trials of Jeffrey MacDonald” by Errol Morris

Filmmaker and essayist Errol Morris returns to the true-crime genre familiar to fans of his landmark documentary The Thin Blue Line. In this book, Morris re-examines the case of Jeffrey MacDonald, a doctor convicted of murdering his wife and children in the 1970s, with the same dedication as his investigative documentary work. You can also gain insight into the life and works of Morris through a series of intimate conversations with the man himself in the book “Errol Morris: Interviews” ($15.48 on Amazon.com).

Documentaries Under $40

A short list of documentaries new to DVD or Blu-ray this year.

DVD/Blu-RayThe Interrupters (Blu-ray)

Own the documentary that owned our list of the best documentaries of 2011. The Interrupters (from Hoop Dreams director Steve James), tells the story of three former gang members who “interrupt” violence in urban Chicago.

Director Ron Fricke (Baraka, Koyaanisqatsi) continues to connect humans and nature, spanning five years and 25 countries, with the new film, Samsara, shot in gorgeous 70mm. Get the Blu-ray for best effect.

Director Alison Klayman gained access to the acclaimed Chinese artist, dissident and tweeter, and the result is a documentary that is both the profile of Ai Weiwei at work and a window into an oppressed country.

What’s one of the world’s greatest sushi chefs doing serving patrons in a Tokyo subway station? Pursuing his art, of course. Jiro Ono has been striving for perfection his whole life, and David Gelb’s film captures all the beauty of his mouthwatering work.

The Great American Storyteller Ken Burns is back with a two-part, four-hour documentary on The Dust Bowl. History buffs will appreciate the expert treatment of archival material, as well as vivid interviews with real figures from the era.

Fans of French cinema will fall in love with this Criterion Collection set of classic films from Chris Marker, who passed away earlier this year. Each of his uniquely influential films offers a lyrical exploration of history, memory and time.

In 1996, Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills failed to free “The West Memphis Three” — but it started a movement. Two sequels and 18 years later, Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley Jr. were released from prison on a plea deal. We named the event our top documentary-related news story of 2011, and now you can own all three films in a box set with lots of extras.

Let everyone around you know — When you’ve got this shirt on, you’ve got it covered. This T-shirt comes in all sizes, a perfect gift for the youngest and oldest directors (or control freaks) in your life.

New York’s Downtown Community Television Center has been providing invaluable support to filmmakers for 40 years. Share their abundant resources, from workshops to equipment rentals to events and screenings, with your favorite documentarian!

For serious fans, BBC4’s Storyville editor Nick Fraser examines the ways in which documentaries reflect and influence cultural trends. He answers the question “Why do documentaries matter anyway?” with a simple answer — documentaries matter because they change the world.

Those earphones Apple sends along with your iPhone or iPod may look cool, but the sound quality cowers at the crispness these deliver. And unlike all those other cords, cables and adapters in your bag, they’re tangle-free! Perfect for music or phone calls on the go with a built-in microphone.

For budding editors! Earlier this year, we wrote about Lightworks, a feature-packed non-linear editing package as an alternative to the pricier Final Cut Pro on a Mac. It’s free, but there’s also a “pro” version with advanced codecs and more.

These inspiring stories about the impact and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina remind us that our homes are not to be taken for granted. Jonathan Demme’s I’m Carolyn Parker aired on POV in 2012, and producer Daniel Wolff’s book “The Fight for Home” (read excerpts) gives us another glimpse at Parker and others in New Orleans.

You can watch a film alone, or you can watch it with other film lovers. Share a membership to a local film society or cinema that supports great documentaries and broaden the film repertoire of its recipient. Film Streams in Omaha, Nebraska, offers memberships for $50, The Flicks in Boise, Idaho, offers a yearly pass for $250, watch regularly screened docs at The Roxie Theater in San Francisco with a $275 annual pass, and Black Documentary Collective offers pay-what-you-can memberships (suggested price: $25).

New York City offers many opportunities to watch documentaries. Support Film Forum and receive reduced-price tickets. Become a member at the Maysles Institute and receive free tickets, with reserved seating. And, UnionDocs passholders can gain access to the Bodega Series, a year of 100 curated events featuring artists, producers and critics, in addition to discounts to workshops, lectures, parties and special events.

The go-to companion for your DSLR, the Zoom recorder also fits right in your pocket. Record using the built-in microphones or plug in your externals via XLR, then capture all the audio you want – effortlessly.

Offer this gift to your favorite camera freak a subtle reminder that audio is just as important as video. Rode’s shotgun microphone is affordable and lightweight. It’s great for interviews or capturing audio from a distance.

It’s great to watch films from your couch, but sometimes a night at the theater is just the right thing. Or every night at the theater! For a flat rate, give your favorite film junkie an endless fix – they can see as many films as they want, at any theater, almost anywhere.

We hope you’ve found the perfect gift or two for the doc fans and filmmakers in your life. Have a happy holiday season!

Note: This gift guide includes many external links, and prices and available of items are not in our control. None of the links are affiliate links, however POV receives support from PBS, so you are indirectly supporting POV by purchasing items from shopPBS.org

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POV (a cinema term for "point of view") is television's longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. POV premieres 14-16 of the best, boldest and most innovative programs every year on PBS. Since 1988, POV has presented over 400 films to public television audiences across the country. POV films are known for their intimacy, their unforgettable storytelling and their timeliness, putting a human face on contemporary social issues.